PALA TRIBE'S Indian Removal Acts: Removing Those Who Speaks Out for JUSTICE J'ACCUSE!

Pala Chairman Robert Smith is initiating his own Indian Removal from Pala, in 2015.  Where are Senators Boxer and Feinstein and the BIA to protect the rights of Native Americans?

THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING

PBMI INITIATES RETALIATION AGAINST CUPEÑO INDIANS

And so it is. Speak the truth about Pala and get punished. In an apparent desperate move on the part of the (Illegal) Pala Executive Committee, two legitimate Cupeño descendants of Warner Ranch Evictees have been placed on the Pala Band of Mission Indians meeting agenda for “EVICTION”.

The facts have been presented here on Original Pechanga Blog. The facts have not been disputed. Those facts truthfully show that Howard Maxcy, Theresa Nieto and Dion Perez are not from Pala. Now here they go again attacking the rightful descendants of Warner Ranch Evictees. In an effort to hide their proposed sinister actions they hope they can persuade the General Council of Pala to do their dirty work for them.

As a matter of fact, the only business before the General Council is evictions. There is no other business. Doesn’t anyone consider it odd that a multi-billion dollar tribe does not have any real business to discuss? What about economic development projects? What about the current financial status of the casino? What about those lands being taken into trust for the Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians (Old Pala) purchased with Warner Ranch Evictee moneys? What about the recent fights, shootings, vehicular accidents and other forms of assault that have occurred on the Rez over the last month? I guess these subjects are not worthy items for the Pala General Council to discuss.

UPDATE: SIGNS ARE DOWN! Deer Creek Mackinaw High School, in IL thinks SCALP 'EM is Appropriate?

Looks like a local high school wants to keep their kids in the fighting spirit. They think signs like this are appropriate? But be a lot of history failures at the school. The school superintendent said that it wasn't on school grounds, so there's nothing he could do about it. HOW ABOUT RAISING YOUR VOICE,

One school mother said:   The negative inferences are disturbing. They do not realize that the use of their mascot is an honor and privilege and comes with responsibility to portray it in a positive way.

Deer Creek Mackinaw High School, HOME OF THE CHIEFS, has them all over town.  Great thing to teach their children.   Here is the contact information:  

Superintendent:  SCOTT DEARMAN

Deer Creek-Mackinaw CUSD 701 | 401 E. 5th St. Mackinaw, IL 61755 | Phone: (309)359-8965 | Fax:(309)359-5291

UPDATE:

I received this message from the Principal:

Dear Mr. Cuevas,

Please know that the signs were not posted by the school or the students.  They were posted by an outside group and the school had no prior knowledge, nor did we grant permission to anyone to do so.  It has always been the intent of the district to honor the Native American heritage of our community.  The signs are down!  It is hard to apologize for the actions of others, but I do with all sincerity.

Mary Lanier

Disenrolled WON'T win Their Battle For Justice, Without ENTERING THE FIGHT

Those of YOU that have been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for others to do the heavy lifting, medium lifting and light lifting... YOU know who YOU are.

Whether YOU have been disenrolled, banished or placed in a moratorium, YOU have been abused by those corrupt leaders in power.   They get away with it, because MOST of YOU have refused to stay standing or even GET involved.    Just this week I sent out email addresses to BIA staff and Directors, so that each of recipients can be enlightened on what's going on.  Imagine my chagrin to note that ONLY ONE person of the 250 I sent out...followed up.

The day before I got a small crew to send out links to the addresses and this blog got 15 BIA computers to check in. some twice.  It can make a difference.  But it won't if you don't help.

It's really a WTF moment.  These fights are not just about going to court, or getting enough money for lawyers and waiting months for a decision.  It's about keeping the powers that be informed, keeping the pressure on and bringing in new people to the fight.

As I wrote in the post: My Rights Have been violated, WHY won't anyone HELP?  WHY should others help, when we don't help ourselves?   I asked another tribal group what they were doing, as I hadn't heard from their team in a while.  They stated that they were awaiting a tribal court decision.  Well waiting is the same as doing nothing.

We are all in similar straits.  We've all been violated, yet why is it that we aren't all fighting for our rights, the rights of our parents, or children or grandchildren?   Embarrassingly, I've had my own cousins, ask to be taken off a mailing list.  Which means they've accepted the fate determined by Mark Macarro and his smaller brother John, instead of being willing to do something as simple as forwarding on an email or sharing a blog post.  I know the story is the same with a lot of groups.  NOT winning quickly, makes it easy to give up.

Questions for AS Indian Affairs' Kevin Washburn on Abuse in Indian Country and the BIA's Involvement

Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs
KEVIN WASHBURN

Thousands of Native Americans have been harmed by our OWN TRIBES, with the BIA's tacit approval.  Yet, we can't get Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs to go on record against tribes who do this.  WHY?  We have some questions here, if you have more, the COMMENTS are open.


1. What is the BIA's and the U.S. governments responsibility to protect the individual Indian from harm by their own tribes?  

2. Is there a requirement that a tribal member be Native American?  If not, does a Non Indian tribal member have more Native rights than a true Native American disenrolled member in the eyes of the BIA?

3. When are you going to show leadership for the BIA, and step in to support bringing ALL the disenrolled and unrecognized indian people home--where we belong!

4. Since the BIA must approve all tribal constitutions, why does the BIA not act when tribes do not follow their constitutions, such as not giving due process, which happens when fair hearings aren't allowed?

5. What responsibility do you have to correct the mistakes or wrongdoing by your predecessors or their staffs, Such as the San Pasqual Applicant descendant matter?

6. WHY do we need the Bureau of Indian Affairs, if your department is NOT upholding their fiduciary responsibility to Native Americans

PECHANGA: Segregation NOW, Segregation Tomorrow, Segregation FOREVER! Mark Macarro Running An Apartheid System

Shades of GEORGE WALLACE at the Pechanga Reservation.  Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro keeps Natives segregated.   Well he and Wallace were from the party of Segregation and Jim Crow.

We have written before on the APARTHEID system in force at Pechanga Reservation in Temecula CA.

APARTHEID as described by the dictionary is:
a•part•heid
2. any system or practice that separates people according to race, caste, etc.

Pechanga is doing just that, determining that families with historical ties to the origins of the reservation are ‘no longer pure’ in their eyes. They may be Temecula Indian, but “they aren’t Pechanga.” Even though the expert hired BY Pechanga proved that we were using the TRIBE's own evidence.

Here is what Pechanga members who have been stripped of their citizenship in the tribe have lost:

Pechanga now has a group living on the reservation that have:

• Lost the right to vote
• Lost their rights to healthcare provided by the tribal government.
• Their children can no longer attend tribal schools, in fact some were FORCED from School.
• They can no longer be buried in the reservation cemetery with their relatives.
• Are not protected by the Tribal Rangers. Or in some cases FROM the TRIBAL RANGERS s

Here is a copy of the letter that was presented to those people living on the reservation who are called "non-members" even though most are living on land that was given to their ancestor when the reservation began, roughly 90 years before council member Russell "Butch" Murphy was adopted into the tribe.  The Tribal Rangers trespassed on private property, to warn residents about.....trespassing charges for using the drinking fountains and restrooms

The threat from the Macarro lead tribal council  is very clear: Fine of $5,000 and exclusion from their own property. THAT is APARTHEID, pure and simple. The tribe is trying to force residents who own property OFF the reservation, and now working to control water rights to land owners, so they have enough water to fill their new water feature at the Pechanga Resort and Casino.

San Pasqual Tribal FAKERY: Where is ALLEN LAWSON SR. On Federal Censuses? MIA for 29 years

I just received some paperwork on the Trask Family that includes the "mysterious" absence of current San Pasqual Chairman Iron Eyes Allan Lawson's father.  Can the non San Pasqual bloodline get murkier?  How can the BIA just have missed this?

Allen Ernest Lawson, SR
AKA Theophillus Mckinnon born in 1923
Allen was the "first son" of Helen Agnes Trask

BUT, he is not listed as a "SON" in the ACT OF 1928. AND, he is not listed in any INDIAN/FEDERAL CENSUS UNTIL 1952.

SO, where is Allen Ernest Lawson OR Theophillus Mckinnon?


THE MOST REASONABLE EXPLANATION, ALLEN ERNEST LAWSON WAS ADOPTED!

This LINK has the evidence:  Where is Allen Ernest Lawson on Federal Census?

Where is the Native American MLK on Civil Rights? Steve Russell Commentary

In a commentary for Indian Country Today, Steve Russell, who has done some great work on the disenrollment issue asks:  Where is our MLK on disenrollment?  There part history lesson in the essay and must be read.

Where is our MLK? That's a terrific question, here are some others.  
WHY doesn't someone step up?  
Is the job too tough?  
Do YOU really care about disenrollment of others, or just yourself, maybe you closest relatives.

Steve's points:

Then there are the disenrollments over greed, where there have been many instances of dead people being disenrolled so as to justify doing the same to their living relatives. By behaving as if the only point of tribal citizenship is access to per caps, tribal governments support the narrative of tribal citizenship as an excuse to advantage Indians at the expense of white people.

Oral History of PALA: Finding the Truth About The Joe Scott Disappearance and Homicide?

 The Britten Family continues to share stories of Pala.   Sometimes, dirty laundry needs to be aired.

Before it was the catch phrase of Las Vegas, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas,” it was and is the unwritten code of Pala. 

Dare speak about the goings on in Pala and you are taking the chance of being the subject of dire consequences. It is this imposed silence that has allowed ROBERT SMITH and his cronies to secure complete control over the tribe. To the outside world they address him as the honorable Robert Smith. To those that know him, really know him, fear addressing him at all.

Pala is a community now suffering from various syndromes:

Child Abuse Syndrome:
Mental health professionals may testify about behavioral characteristics of a particular child that are "typical" of sexually abused children. Such behavioral indicators include a wide variety of symptoms such as regression, withdrawal, aggression, nightmares, bed wetting, fears, masturbation, and tantrums but are completely nonspecific (Wakefield and Underwager, 1991b). They appear in many different situations, including conflict between parents, divorce, economic stress, wartime separations, father absence, natural disaster, and physical, emotional, but nonsexual abuse (Emery, 1982; Hughes and Barad, 1983; Jaffe et al., 1986; Porter and O'Leary, 1980; Wallerstein and Kelly, 1980; Wolman, 1983). There are no behaviors that occur only in victims of sexual abuse. With the exception of sexualized behavior, the majority of symptoms shown in sexually abused children characterize child clinical samples in general (Beitchman et al., 1991).

Stockholm Syndrome:
Stockholm syndrome is considered a complex reaction to a frightening situation, and experts do not agree completely on all of its characteristic features or on the factors that make some people more susceptible than others to developing it. Many researchers believe that Stockholm syndrome helps to explain certain behaviors of survivors of World War II concentration camps; members of religious cults; battered wives; incest survivors; and physically or emotionally abused children as well as persons taken hostage by criminals or terrorists. 

Robert Smith cannot be considered responsible for all of the madness that is Pala. The United States is the one that planted the seed. All Robert Smith did was ripen the fruit of oppression.  Now that oppression is protected by the United States under the United States endowed term of “Tribal Sovereignty”. In the old days, a leader such as Robert Smith would have just been thrown off a cliff as was “Custom and Tradition”. Now he is a protected servant of the United States. You don’t need to control everyone. You only need to control enough people to satisfy the requirements of the United States to convince the BIA that you are the rightful leader of the tribe.

Twila Barnes Laments The Lack of Caring in the Cherokee Government and Bill John Baker

My friend Twila Barnes from the blog Thoughts From Polly's Granddaughter has a story up on the helpless feeling when you see a native in need. Is it falling through the cracks, or have the cracks become canyons that make some invisible?


 Below is a post from Thursday, January 29, 2015. This woman is still waiting for help. Her allergies are so bad, she is having numerous secondary health problems now. The day after the election, after the results were announced, I sent her a message telling her who won. She responded, "Well, I guess there's no hope for me now."

I nearly broke down in tears. As much as I wanted to tell her we could get her the help she desperately needed, I knew I couldn't promise that.

I truly believe this woman is a national treasure. She speaks our language and has since birth. At the rate we are losing speakers of the Cherokee language, we MUST do all we can to protect those who still speak our native tongue as their first language. We MUST utilize the knowledge of these Cherokees to revitalize our language or we are going to lose it.

I would like to believe that our chief, Bill John Baker, cares enough about the people to step in and say, "We have to do something to help this sick woman." Sadly, I don't think he will do it. I don't think Baker is going to do anything to help anyone unless they worked on his campaign, donated to his campaign, or has something to offer him in exchange for his helping them.

If Chief Baker truly cares about the people he was elected to serve, he will act to help this woman, a woman who has nothing to offer him personally, but who has much to offer us as a nation. I don't think he will do it.

The ball's in your court now, Chief Baker. Prove me wrong


Read the Rest of Twila's post here And PLEASE...SHARE

UPDATE: Obama EPA Trying To Swindle Navajo in Animas River Poisoning

ANIMAS RIVER POISONING by EPA

The EPA is trying to cheat Navajo Indians by getting them to sign away their rights to future claims from the agency’s Gold King Mine disaster, tribal officials charged Wednesday, adding more to the administration’s public relations problems over the spill that threatens critical Southwest waterways.

Environmental Protection Agency officials were going door to door asking Navajos, some of whom don’t speak English as their primary language, to sign a form that offers to pay damages incurred so far from the spill, but waiving the right to come back and ask for more if their costs escalate or if they discover bigger problems, Navajo President Russell Begaye told The Washington Times.

Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency said Sunday that the Gold King Mine discharged an estimated 3 million gallons of contaminated water, three times the amount previously believed.

UPDATE:  EPA Threatened Mine Owner with FINES if he didn't allow EPA Access.  THEN they POISONED rivers!

Mr. Hennis said he opposed having the EPA investigate leakage from the inactive mine near Silverton, Colorado, because he had tangled with the agency in previous years over its work at another mine he owns in Leadville, Colorado.

“I said, ‘No, I don’t want you on my land out of fear that you will create additional pollution like you did in Leadville,’” Mr. Hennis told Colorado Watchdog.org. “They said, ‘If you don’t give us access within four days, we will fine you $35,000 a day.’”


The EPA has admitted that its agents accidentally unleashed the acidic flood, which has since contaminated the San Juan River in New Mexico and seeped into Lake Powell in Utah, albeit in very low concentrations.

San Pasqual Band Allan Lawson, YOUR IRONY IS SHOWING in this PSA

Here's a 2010 PSA with current chairman of the San Pasqual Band of Imposters Indians.   Listen to what he says at the start.

"We have always been undercounted"  and "We've never been able to receive the benefits we should receive as Native Americans"

THIS from a man who undercounts  his OWN tribe.  And from a man who keeps RIGHTFUL SAN PASQUAL natives from their own deserved benefits.

Saginaw Chippewa Judges Say Tribe Can Ruin The Lives and History of It's Members

Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Appeals judges have ruled that several members can be removed from membership rolls, but the attorney representing those people said Tribal officials have more work to do before that can happen.

Paula Fisher, who is representing 233 living and deceased Tribal members facing disenrollment, said their cases will be remanded to the Tribal office of administrative hearings and that “the Tribe will have the burden of proving by clear and convincing evidence that each of these Tribal members received their membership as a result of a mistake which is defined as willful, wanton or reckless disregard of a known risk of harm.”

“The Tribe still has a lot of work to do before a single one of these long-standing Tribal members can lose Tribal membership,” Fisher said. “Many of these members trace in a lineal manner and the Tribe has been presented with that evidence and ignored it.”

Soboba Tribe Claiming Ancestral Territory of Gabrieleno People In Dealings With City of Industry

I received a document from Chairman Andrew Salas of the Gabrieleno Kizh who is dismayed that the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians from Hemet is claiming ancestral ties to the San Gabriel Valley that is well known to be Gabrieleno area.   This is what happens, when a non federally recognized tribe gets no justice.

SHAMEFUL

Soboba Tribe Usurping Gabrieleno Kizh Territory by OPechanga

CUPA NEWLETTER #3 ROBERT SMITH THE NON LEADER

CUPANGAWICITUM

(People Who Sleep In the Water)

CUPA NEWS 3

Descendants from Cupa:

Remarks by Robert Smith state that a group is starting a new tribe, this could not be further from the truth.  The truth is this group is trying to have the right of self-governance restored to the rightful people of the Pala Reservation and for the BIA to recognize the Cupa People.  There is also concern that the other people or villages that were removed from Warner’s Ranch also be recognized and their full rights restored as well.  No one should be left out that is truly a Warner Ranch Evictee.

If Robert is truly chairman of these people he would be doing what he could to preserve the rights of the Warner Ranch Evictees.  Yet he answers to the title of Chairman of the Pala Band of Luiseño Mission Indians which is Old Pala.

He no longer serves the descendants of Warner’s Ranch.  Instead he is dis-enrolling and disenfranchising them.  We need to find out what is wrong and why the BIA does not recognize the Pala Band of Mission Indians as a tribe.  The People, after being removed from Warner’s Ranch decided that they were to be the Pala Band of Mission Indians.  This did not include the Luiseño of Old Pala.

Robert has also said that anyone joining this new group cannot be members of Pala and belong to two reservations which he is right.  If this is true, how can the Pala Luiseño who are descendants of Old Pala be members of the Pala Band of Mission Indians (PBMI)?  This land was purchased for the Warner Ranch Evictees.

There is another group who are descendants of Morongo and Cahuilla attending our meetings and voting on important issues. These are the very same people who are voting to take away the legitimate rights of the members of the Pala Band of Mission Indians.

There are 12 people of the Pala Band of Mission Indians who cannot vote, cannot attend meetings and cannot run for tribal office because these same Morongo and Cahuilla are allowed to vote when they themselves have no rights here.

IT IS TIME TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF THIS LAND. IT IS TIME FOR THE PALA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS TO TAKE BACK FROM ROBERT SMITH AND RESTORE TO THE GENERAL COUNCIL CONTROL OF THE BAND’S BUSINESS AND MORE.  IT SHOULD BE EASY SINCE ROBERT IS THE CHAIR OF THE LUISENO AND A MEMBER OF ANOTHER RESERVATION.

Any questions or additional information can be sent to P.O. Box 154, Pala, CA  92059.

Chukchansi's Reggie Lewis PLEDGES TRANSPARENCY in IRS Investigation: Is He BELIEVABLE?

It has recently come to my attention that the IRS has initiated a criminal investigation of a tribally owned corporation. The allegations and requests for information do not involve the Tribe’s efforts to reopen its casino. These allegations and others relating to possible misuse of Tribal assets are of great concern and should be troubling to each member of the Tribe.

While the IRS investigation has just begun and in itself is not evidence of any criminal wrongdoing, as Chairman of the Tribe, I call upon the other tribal council members and the members of the general council to join me in demanding a forensic accounting of all allegations of misconduct and to report back to the membership with its findings.

As Chairman of the Tribe, I alone am tasked with making public statements regarding the Tribe, its businesses and other matters relating to our members and pledge to be transparent regarding the results of all investigations. I urge all tribal members to fully cooperate with these investigations.

Reggie Lewis,
Chairman,
Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians

The SCALES of Justice in Indian Country Are Imbalanced. The FBI can't find the REAL culprits?

It seems that the F.B.I. has the resources to go after a woman who stole the huge sum of $1,600 from the Chitimacha tribe, yes are seeming absent when the numbers are higher, and more worthy of their time

A New Iberia woman pleaded guilty on Thursday to stealing from a Chitimacha tribal business.

Rebecca Bacas (40) of New Iberia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik to one count of theft from an Indian tribal organization. According to the guilty plea, Bacas conducted a scheme from December 30, 2011 to January 12, 2012 to steal $1,630.50 from the Chitimacha Trading Post in Charenton, La., by cashing what appeared to be three payroll checks that turned out to be worthless. 
Bacas faces up to five years in prison, three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date was not set.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes all major crimes and misdemeanor cases arising in Indian Country that are within the jurisdiction of this office. The FBI and the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation.  

REALLY, FBI?  REALLY?

Do we have to DRAW you a MAP?  SPELL IT OUT?
  b    b       f     !;! gfnn;!;;)) ffn n Pechanga's tribal attorney JOHN MACARRO used corporate credit card to steal $30,000 or more...the SECOND time.
Chukchansi has $50 MILLION MISSING!
Former Pechanga tribal Chair Jennie Miranda stole SLOT Machines and sold them to MEXICO.   Did she pay taxes?
Tribal members use PO BOXES to avoid paying state taxes on HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of Dollars...EACH.  That's 20 times what Chitimacha lost....EACH
PALA is out of control, spending that's not authorized
San Pasqual got 18 police units to "guard" them during a protest, falsely proclaiming threat of violence. Not to mention WHITE PEOPLE masquerading as Natives.

Former PASKENTA BAND Officials CAN be SUED. Tribe Likes Lack of Sovereignty NOW...

A federal judge ruled Friday that the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California, has jurisdiction over a lawsuit filed in March by the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians against former tribal officials and senior employees accused of defrauding the tribe of tens of millions of dollars.

The court rejected claims by defendants that the lawsuit, filed under the federal Racketeer Influence and Corruption (RICO) Act and other state and federal laws, is an intra-tribal dispute and therefore the court had no jurisdiction to hear any of the tribe’s claims.

“We are gratified by the court’s decision,” said the Tribal Council in a statement. “The tribe brought this action to hold responsible a group of individuals who, for well over a decade, conspired to steal tens of millions of dollars from the tribe.”

The tribe owns and operates Rolling Hills Casino just off of Interstate 5 near Corning.

The lawsuit comes after four members of the Tribal Council were ousted by tribal membership in April 2014, which culminated in a prolonged armed standoff at the casino in June 2014, the destruction of computer records and the disappearance of a private jet owned by the tribe.

The suit names defendants Leslie Lohse, the tribe’s former treasurer; Larry Lohse, the former tribal environmental director; John Crosby, the tribe’s former economic development director; and Ines Crosby, the former tribal administrator, among 15 other defendants.

Subsequently, the two factions came to an agreement to hold an election in September 2014 “to allow the members of the tribe to determine the tribe’s governing body,” according to a July 2014 Daily News article. The election resulted in the tribe siding against the ousted members.

Judge Garland Burrell Jr. also denied the defendants’ attempt to dismiss the tribe’s restitution claims, including those filed against banks, retirement funds and a gold and silver broker, which conducted business with the ousted members during the period the alleged theft of funds took place.

“The court’s decision affirms the tribe’s ability to pursue claims against all of the 20-plus named defendants,” said the tribe’s co-counsel Andrew Purdy.

The court dismissed claims against the businesses but suggested amended claims could be filed in some cases.

BREAKING: Chukchansi Tribal Council Member Chance Alberta Subject of IRS Investigation

The FRESNO BEE reports:  A criminal investigation summons has been issued by the Internal Revenue Service for records from a Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians business offshoot and its leader, tribal council member Jeffrey Chance Alberta.

Alberta’s name was specifically mentioned in the summons, which was received by the tribal council at its Fresno office about a week ago, said Reggie Lewis, chairman of the Chukchansi Tribal Council that Alberta also is seated on.

IRS investigators interviewed the 41-year-old Alberta for about 45 minutes last week, Lewis said.

No other tribe members are named in the summons, which seeks records from 2010-14. No dollar amounts are noted in the document.

When asked Monday, IRS officials did not acknowledge the summons.

Arlette Lee, a spokeswoman and special agent for the IRS in the Bay Area, said the agency will not confirm an investigation and normally doesn’t confirm the filing of any documents until a criminal complaint, search warrant or indictment is issued. None of those have been filed in this case, which means criminal wrongdoing has not yet been found, she said.

The summons seeks “all corporate records and books of account relative to the financial transactions of Jeffrey Chance Alberta, Chukchansi, Incorporated of Coarsegold, CA, and any entity operated under Alberta and Chukchansi, Incorporated.”

The summons demands examination of inventory records, corporate minute book, stock register, loan, savings and checking account records.

There is no reference in the summons to audits filed with the National Indian Gaming Commission last year that said there was $49.6 million unaccounted for from audits for 2012 and 2013. Late audits and a casino office raid to recover audit information last October led to closure of Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino.

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article31355438.html#storylink=cpy

Pala Leadership: Taking Advantage of Drug Addiction

The Britten Family continues to fight back against their unjust disenrollment, with an explanation on how some votes get...skewed.    We've heard similar from Chukchansi, whose leaders have had to PAY members just to show up and vote the way they want.

I have declarations that attest the the following

ONE MORE ELEMENT TO THE BRITTEN DISENROLLMENTS

There is one more critical element to the Britten disenrollments. It doesn’t have a name but it is known by everyone. It doesn’t have a face but is recognized by everyone. It gives corrupt Tribal Councils unwritten control over many tribal members. It is called drug addiction.

There isn’t anything a drug addict won't do. They will steal from family. They will sell anything including their bodies. They are the most creative liars you will ever meet. Worst of all they will sell their vote.

For Robert Smith it is simply called get out the vote. So many people are coerced into voting and voting how Robert Smith wants them to vote in exchange for drugs. It is how he controls events at Pala. It is how he has been able to hold office for 25 years. The drug addicted tribal members are at his beck and call to do whatever and whenever he wants. This includes all forms of harassment.

It is truly sad because there is so much talk about per capita and how it benefits tribal members. The true benefactors of per capita on many reservations are the drug dealers. So who controls the flow of drugs on Pala? If you have to guess then you are really living in the dark. Distribution occurs at the casino at the moment per capita is disbursed. They don’t even try to hide it.

Disenrolling Tribes GUILTY of ELDER & Ancestor ABUSE

What is Elder Abuse?

According to the California State Bar Association:
It is the neglect, exploitation or “painful or harmful” mistreatment of anyone who is 65 or older (or any disabled dependent adult aged (18 to 64). It can involve physical violence, psychological abuse, isolation, abandonment, abduction, false imprisonment or a caregiver’s neglect. It could also involve the unlawful taking of a senior’s money or property.

Matilda Smith 87 years old
Hunter Family Elder
Great Granddaughter of Paulina Hunter 

In short, elder abuse involves various crimes, such as theft, assault or identity theft, that strike victims of all ages. But when the victim is 65 years old or older (or a disabled dependent adult), the criminal faces stiffer penalties.
Matilda was 75 years old when the Pechanga tribal council, abandoned her, unlawfully taking this senior's money, health care, voting rights and her rights as an allottee, and dishonoring a tribal elder.   At that time, yahoos and felons in the back corner of the room were hollering for disenrolled elders to "GET A JOB"

Hunter Elder Matilda Smith, now 87 years old, recalled being on the reservation in the late 1930’s. “It was a long trip to get there, especially in those days”. “But that is where our roots were, my grandmother loved it there.” Her grandmother was Mary Ann Miller, daughter of Paulina Hunter, an original allottee of the Temecula Reservation known as Pechanga.  Up to her disenrollment, she was attending meetings, travelling out from OKLA 'freaking" HOMA to support the tribe and family.

Similar stories can be found in other families. The Tosobol family has brothers that are 80 and 75 years old, Manuel (recently passed) and Mike, who are denied access to their property. The wife of one member actually called the tribal rangers to have some Tosobol members banished from the reservation (isolation and abandonment). The Manuela Mirandas have the most senior elders of those abused by the tribe. Michael Salinas was over 90 years old when he walked on without justice, and others born shortly after Prohibition began.

These stories predate the coming of a casino, but the abuse came after.

Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro is directly responsible for what happened to hundreds of people, and a significant portion are elders.  Next time you hear about him giving praise to elders of the tribe, keep in mind what he did to many of them.  John Macarro couldn't even give the courtesy of a congratulations to elder Lawrence Madariaga when he was awarded a Silver Feather Award, until he was goaded into it...

Free Range Indian: Theft From Native Land Owners With BIA Assistance: The Next Elephant in the Room

Guest Blogger Free Range Indian has a new piece on the lands owned by Natives disenrolled from their tribes.  

We've owned ours for over 120 years.  Some new adopted tribal council members decide we should no longer have the land of our ancestors and what??, we should MOVE?   Bullshit.  That would be placing a LOT of people in danger.

Here's Free Range Indian's post:

The NEXT ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

It is just a matter of time before the BIA is confronted with the next elephant in the room. It is not just a matter of disenrollment. It now becomes a realty matter. How many disenrolled Indians are carried on the rolls of the Office of Special Trust? How many of the disenrolled have land interests in trust land?

What will happen to the land of the disenrollees?

Are the disenrollees Indian or not? If they are Indian and eligible to have their lands to be held in trust then which rule is the BIA using to make this determination. If the BIA determines that a disenrollee is not Indian, does this mean that the disenrollee’s land automatically becomes fee land and subject to taxation?

The BIA already went through the nightmare of the Cobell Settlement Case. Do you think the BIA is prepared for the next nightmare?

Tribes now have first right to acquire minor interests in allotments and also to acquire fee lands because of tax default. In a twist of laws and regulations it gives tribes the right of eminent domain. Eminent Domain gives tribes the right to condemn and take property away from individuals if the tribe feels that property is necessary for the benefit of the tribe.  OP:  This will lead to bloodletting. 

Would tribes really go so far as to take away people’s property? It didn’t take long for many of the tribes to evict disenrollees from their homes and assigned lands so it can be predicted that as long as the BIA plays along, the disenrollees can expect another round of their heritage disappearing before their very eyes.

It is my understanding that Robert Eben, former Superintendent of the Southern Californian Agency, BIA, was already working with tribal leaders to develop the authority to condemn the lands of the disenrollees. A Freedom of Information request on the topic of eminent domain to the BIA should be very revealing. They were working to define and give the authority and right to tribes to exercise the power of Eminent Domain.

Land that is in fee title (Such as owned by Pechanga Chairman Macarro) is not under the jurisdiction of the BIA and not of the tribe. Any attempt to take fee lands could possibly be interpreted as “Adverse Condemnation”. If there is anything that shakes the core of State and Local government it is the challenge in court of Adverse Condemnation.  Governments almost always lose in these matters and it is an area of law where the tribes will not be able to scream “sovereign immunity”.  If the United States, States and Local governments can be sued for Adverse Condemnation I do not believe the courts will be sympathetic to tribes and grant them a higher degree of power than that of the United States.

So which is it? Are the disenrollees Indian or not? If they are Indian, how does the BIA reach this conclusion and how are they able to carry the disenrollees on the rolls of the Office of Special Trust. If they are Indian then aren’t they entitled to the full protection of the United States? Is the United States obligated to protect the disenrollees from any further assault from the tribes and have their lands protected and their status as Indian persons protected as well?

So if the United States via the BIA is assisting the tribes in developing the “proper” authority to exercise the power of eminent domain, is the United States also obligated to protect the rights of the very same ones they are advising tribes on ways of taking away lands of the disenrollees?
It is ethnic cleansing at its finest degree. It is the BIA working to provide a way for tribes to purge themselves of the disenrollees and to consolidate the lands of the reservations. It truly is the next elephant in the room.

INTERIOR DEPARTMENT Finalizes New Rule for Federal Recognition Appeals

The Interior Department has finalized a rule that addresses appeals in federal recognition cases.
In the past, challenges to final determinations went through the Interior Board of Indian Appeals. But the board's powers are limited and cases were usually referred back to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
In hopes of streamlining the process, the new rule cuts the IBIA out of the process and establishes guidelines for a hearing before an administrative law judge. The change was first noted when the BIA finalized the Part 83 federal recognition reforms in June.

The judge will be able to receive evidence, conduct hearings and call witnesses under the new rule. A recommended decision will then be sent to the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs within 180 days.
"Rather than making the process more adversarial, a hearing will help crystalize the issues in preparation for consideration by the AS-IA," the BIA said in a fact sheet when it finalized the Part 83 reforms. "Since it occurs before an objective forum without any preconceived notion of an outcome, it will further insulate the process from criticisms of perceived bias."

The DOI rule also establishes an optional process for groups that receive a negative proposed finding from the BIA. An administrative law judge will be able to conduct an expedited hearing and take testimony from these petitioners and interested parties before sending a recommended decision to the Assistant Secretary.

In the past, petitioners and interested parties could not challenge a proposed finding and had to wait until the Assistant Secretary issued a final determination to file appeals. The BIA believes the optional hearing will improve transparency and due process.

The BIA's federal acknowledgment process formally began in 1978. Since then, only 18 groups have won recognition while 35 have been denied, underscoring the difficult nature of the process.
The Pamunkey Tribe of Virginia was the last group to gain recognition. The BIA's final determination will become effective on October 6.

Prior to the Pamunkey case, there was a four-year gap in favorable decisions. The Shinnecock Nation of New York gained recognition in October 2010.

Before that, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts was the last to gain recognition. That decision was finalized in May 2007.

DOI's new rule was published in the Federal Register today and is effective immediately. It adds Subpark K -- titled "Hearing Process Concerning Acknowledgment of American Indian Tribes" -- to 43 CFR Part 4, Department Hearings and Appeals Procedures.

Letter to Chairman John Barrasso Requesting Hearings In California Indian Country

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.   (Twitter: @IndianCommittee and @SenJohnBarrasso)

The Wyoming Republican says he looks forward to working with others to pass legislation that helps improve the lives of people across Indian country.
Barrasso has already held field hearings in Wyoming and SOON Alaska.  We NEED him to have hearings in California on the abuses of Native Americans, BY Native Americans.

Here is a letter than you could send the chairman:

Senator John Barrasso
30y Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-6441
Fax: 202-224-1724
Tollfree: 866-235-9553

Dear Chairman Barrasso,

A recent report by the Government Accountability Office (“GAO”) referenced the fact that internal tribal disputes “seem to be occurring more and more frequently”.

Such disputes have resulted in the disenrollment, which is the loss of citizenship in one's own tribe, banishment, denial of membership, stripping of voting rights, and/or denial of health/medical benefits of thousands of Indians.

In response to the growing number of these types of disputes, the GAO felt it was necessary and appropriate that nominees to the Secretary of Interior be asked how they would address such issues. Since most of the civil and human rights abuses have occurred under Democratic leadership , I believe it is also important to know how your committee will work with individual Indians in trying to resolve or prevent such disputes.

Your role as Chairman should be to help facilitate (1) internal tribal disputes that harm Native  Americans and (2) the protection and preservation of individual Indians’ basic rights in internal disputes. The BIA has abdicated responsibility and are leaving it to the IBIA to overturn their decisions.

In addition, do you believe that tribal sovereignty and the protection of basic individual rights are mutually exclusive of each other?  Should sovereignty be wielded like a club to beat the weak and defenseless?  

I eagerly await your response to the questions raised above, and look forward to you setting hearings for California.

Respectfully submitted,

Anatomy of Pala Disenrollments: The Final Vote To Disenroll the Brittens

 I've been giving space to our friends from Pala, that were disenrolled 3 years ago.  Here's what may be the final installment in the Britten family saga, to date, with more to come on other Pala matters. OF COURSE, it includes more incompetence from the BIA.  Please Read, please share, please tweet.


Which vote have we not talked about yet? Kilma Lattin? Kilma Lattin voted against the disenrollment of the Britten family after reviewing the evidence submitted by the Britten family as requested by the PBMI Executive Committee. So who is left that can tout Cupeño and justify the vote to disenroll the Cupeño Indians of Pala. The man who insisted that Margarita Britten was only ½ Indian and the man who probably poisoned the ear of Robert Smith is Leroy Nolasquez/Miranda, Jr. Yes Leroy Miranda, Jr. you too cannot escape the facts of the 1928 California Indian Judgment Roll (CIJR). Where to begin?

There are eight Nolasquez 1928 CIJR Applications. Carolina Nolasquez, No. 1256, Cecilio Nolasquez, No. 1257, Felipe Nolasquez, No. 1258, Louis Nolasquez, No. 1259, Rafael Nolasquez, No. 1230, Ramon Nolasquez, No. 1261, Roscinda Nolasquez, No. 1262 and Salvador Nolasquez, No. 1263.

Carolina Nolasquez Testimony.

The simple fact that every single Nolasquez Application occurs in numerical sequence should scream out that there is something wrong, seriously wrong with the 1928 CIJR. Convince me that every single member of the Nolasquez family sat down at the same table and filled out their applications and submitted them together so that this numerical sequence could occur. There is no way.

Now that Leroy Miranda, Jr. has fought his battle let us use his way and explore the depths of the Nolasquez family.

Disappearing Indians PART IV: Steve Russell Series

Steve Russell continues his disenrollment series for Indian Country Today today discussing how tribes are continuing to eliminate their own people.  Now over  11,000 Natives decimated...

MONEY QUOTE:

Disenrollments over greed for casino cash (See Carving the Billion $$ Buffalo) to make the slices of per cap pie bigger threaten the very sovereignty that made the casino lawful in the first place. The attack ads where the modern Indian fighters claim discrimination against white people write themselves.

What irony could possibly make those appear small by comparison? Indians survived. Indians survived hundreds of years of homicidal policies only to use their remaining sovereign power to enact suicidal policies. The best efforts of the colonists to terminate us came a cropper and we invented ways to terminate ourselves.


READ THE REST OF Steve's article HERE: Disappearing Indian IV  

Will Rep. Ken Calvert AGAIN Help Pechanga Steal Water Rights from Temecula Indians?

n October 2013, we wrote about Rep. Ken Calvert joining with Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein in supporting a water rights grab from the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians from allottees of the Temecula Band of Luiseno Indians of the Pechanga Reservation. Read the letter Here

We defeated the Pechanga Tribe that October, despite the bill being written by Pechanga Chairman Mark Macarro’s high priced lobbyist wife.

Now, we are ready to do battle AGAIN, for the rights of those allottees of the reservation that have been disenrolled (stripped of citizenship) by Macarro and his cronies. Macarro has no allotment on the reservation, Neither does Butch Murphy (he who has NO Pechanga blood)

KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR, who steals per capita, abuses their elders, lies to congress and now...attempting to STEAL WATER... as they did in 2010 and were defeated
DO what is RIGHT MR. CALVERT...DO NOT SPONSOR PECHANGA.

Free Range Indian: What Should Indian Disenrollees Do NEXT

Guest Blogger Free Range Indian has a new post up to start the week, on what Tribal Disenrollees should do next. In my view, they need to get active and join the fight that only some in their own families are waging.  Please, share with your family and friends, post to Facebook so more people can see.  The comments are open, please, be nice, be on point.   


What should Indian Disenrollees do next? One thing is for sure. The Disenrollment issue is not going to go away soon. Did you know that disenrollment is not even a word in the English language? I guess it will have to be catalogued as an Indian word. What a proud legacy for native people across America. I guess since we are to be the proud creators of the word disenroll, disenrollment, disenrollees then we should also be responsible for its true definition.

Disenrollment - Inhumane terrorist act perpetrated upon Native Americans at the behest of the United States, Bureau of Indian Affairs with an undeclared goal of complete extermination of the aboriginal populations of the Americas. Synonyms - Genocide, Extermination and Ethnic Cleansing,

Disenrollee - (Proper Noun) - An Indian person who is the victim of disenrollment, genocide or ethnic cleansing.

Disenrollees - (Proper Noun -plural) - An Indian group, entity or tribe targeted by the United States for extermination, genocide or ethnic cleansing.

Disenrolling - (Verb) - The completely illegitimate and senseless act carried out by greedy tribal leaders to increase individual per capita and to cover up crimes against the tribe.

Given this new word and definition then we can ascertain that George Armstrong Custer was not engaged in senseless murder and genocide. He was just disenrolling Indians. The history books should be changed from this moment. No longer should we refer to the Sand Creek Massacre, the Bloody Island Massacre, the Pauba Massacre and Wounded Knee as massacres. The United States was just disenrolling Indians. The effect of depriving someone of their heritage is just as heinous and egregious as conducting a massacre at will. And that is the real tragedy. These senseless massacres/disenrollments are carried out at will with no conscious or sense of contrition.

PALA Disenrollment Stories: Remijo Lugo and Alejandro Barker. Did the Corrupt Practices of the BIA Make them SIGNIFICANT?

The Family of Pala Disenrolled continues their quest to get the tribal ancestry questions out in front of the public.  Why?   Because if these issues aren't brought out, people will think that everything the tribe does is good and proper.   As a disenrolled Pechanga of Hunter ancestry, I know FIRST HAND that this is NOT true.  Yes, it may be dirty laundry, but it must be aired. And as we are finding out, the BIA is complicit in the destruction of so many Native lives, you'd think it was the 19th century and NOT the 21st.


Who was Remijio Lugo? The short answer is he was a Cahuilla Indian with no ties to Warner Springs or the Cupeño Indians. At the same time, it is not possible to discuss Remijio Lugo without first learning something, or maybe nothing, about Alejandro (Alexander) Barker.  Why are these two men important in Cupeño history? Not for the reason you might think. It is the progeny of these two men that cast the deciding votes in the decision to deprive the Brittens of their membership in the Association known as the Pala Band of Mission Indians.  PBMI is an Association whose membership that the descendants of Alejandro Barker and Remijio Lugo are not entitled to share. 

No one really knows who and where Alejandro Barker came from. He is reported to be one-half Indian. It is reported by Phil Brigandi that he was born around 1854 and that his father was a White man. A review of the 1860 United States Census reveals that there is no Alexander, Alejandro or Alex listed on the census of the Agua Caliente Village. Alejandro Barker would have been 6 years old at the time of the census.  In the 1886 census of Agua Caliente Village it does list Valeriana Barker as the mother of Angelita Barker, Ginoviva Barker and Samuel Barker.

Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein HARM Native Americans By Sponsoring Apartheid Tribes: Reconciling Moral Outrage at Tribes Like Pechanga, Pala, Redding, San Pascual, and Chukchansi, with Self Determination.

INDIAN CIVIL RIGHTS... who give a hoot? Our Senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein don't.    Tribes that abuse their own people certainly don't, unless of course, it may affect them negatively, like, say the Cherokee Tribe who got smacked down for denying rights to their Freedmen ancestors.  The BIA doesn't, as they've either watched violation happen, helped them happen, or made them happen (Chukchansi, Pechanga, Pala, San Pasqual, San Pasqual)

How Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein HARM Native Americans

I posted this first back in June 2007 and and it should be printed again as things have only gotten worse since then.  But DON'T WORRY, we have Senators writing letters about nasty name calling, and my own two Senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, are AGAIN sponsoring a water rights bill for a tribe that violated the civil and human rights of it's people, my tribe, The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, a tribe that ALSO practices Pechanga’s Apartheid and SEGREGATION.  But then, being Democrats, they are from the party of Segregation, so should we expect less?

I hope from what you read here, you do NOT get the impression that we are against tribal rights or gaming. That is not true. The links tell the story of what's happening at Pechanga, Snoqualmie in Washington State and other reservations like Chukchansi and Pala since Indian gaming.

Feel free to comment, they are open. And by ALL MEANS share on Twitter and Facebook, please.

Tribal gaming has helped many tribes in CA, come out of poverty, my tribe, the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians included . Many of the Pechanga people are uneducated and I remember they were so excited when they qualified for a Target credit card.

Unfortunately, with success, greed soon follows.  Instead of helping all their people, including those they placed in a membership moratorium hold, who rightfully belonged to the tribe they looked at who they could get rid of to increase their per capita checks.  And, unfortunately, the money hasn't made everyone happy.

But the facts are clear, most tribes have not treated their people as abominably as Pechanga, Redding Rancheria, Picayune Rancheria, Snoqualmie and others have treated their people. In fact it's more like Tribal Terrorism, using fear and threat to keep their voting membership in line.  Remember, too, the fewer voters, the easier it is to control

Reconciling MORAL OUTRAGE at Abusive Tribes Like Pechanga with Self Determination

Here is an excellent article by Sheryl Lightfoot about how to support sovereignty issues, while not supporting the actions when they are morally repugnant, such as Pechanga's disenrollment of 25% of their tribe in order to enrich the remaining members.

Sheryl Lightfoot Article

FIND the BILLION DOLLARS Carved From the Disenrollment Buffalo

JUST HOW BIG IS THAT DISENROLLMENT BUFFALO?

What ONE BILLION DOLLARS LOOKS LIKE

NEARLY ONE BILLION DOLLARS, have been stolen by corrupt tribal councils and their leaders, including Mark Macarro of Pechanga and Robert Smith of Pala and the STOOGES, Reggie Lewis and Nancy Ayala of Chukchansi, among others.   
Congress turns a blind eye, the Justice Department IGNORES the theft, and all allow tribes to claim, "it's NOT about the MONEY  when they mean, it's NOT ONLY ABOUT THE MONEY....

The loss of tribal citizenship includes the loss of Federal recognition of Native Americans. Corrupt tribes are harming their own.That's something the Bureau of Indian Affairs, led here in California by Amy Deutschke, buries their heads in the sand to avoid.  They have avoided their duty to protect Native Americans.

Tribes claim disenrollments and moratoriums weren't about the money, but the figures don't lie.   The Cherokee Nation is excluding descendents of their OWN SLAVES, which by treaty, should be in the tribe.  WHY?  Because 25,000 is a huge number even if the benefits are small.

We first wrote about this story in January 2011, and many of the numbers have been revised upward. We have passed the 10 year mark for the Redding Rancheria, which terminated the rights of their first Chairman, Robert Foreman.  And for the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians

Follow the Money. 

Free Range Indian: NO HOPE ON THE HORIZON From Obama Administration

Guest Blogger Free Range Indian has a new posts on the hopelessness in seeking justice for disenrolled under Kevin Washburn.

Kevin Washburn
Assistant Secretary Indian Affairs

A reliable source has stated that Indian disenrollees cannot expect the AS-IA Kevin Washburn to take any type of action in solving the problem of disenrollment of mass numbers of Indians across the United States. Instead, he and other department heads, cabinet members and staff of the Obama administration have been ordered to review all of their ongoing cases and focus on the ones that will ensure a positive legacy for President Obama.  The disenrollment issues are not viewed as a positive legacy.  OP:  Seems to me, that ensuring that the civil and human rights of thousands of Native Americans, restored, would be a very positive legacy.

So we can expect no action on the part of the Obama administration.

Has anyone thought to ask the People of Santa Clara Pueblo if this is what they envisioned when they took their case to the Supreme Court? Is this what they wanted for Indian Country? Did they want the responsibility of destroying thousands upon thousands of Indian lives across the nation? Most of all, did the People of Santa Clara Pueblo envision their case Santa Clara Pueblo v. Martinez to become the ultimate influence for the BIA to allow widespread corruption, deceit and terrorism of tribes and individual Indians across the nation?

The Santa Clara Pueblo case was decided wholly on a longstanding traditional practice of the Pueblo People. There was no argument to preserve the malpractice of the BIA.

OPEN LETTER To California Atty. General: Why NO Response To Chukchansi Tribe After 3 MONTHS?

 And WHY, Kamala Harris, is Nobody looking into $50 MILLION DOLLARS MISSING at Chukchansi?  WHO has it, who spent it, who didn't pay taxes on it?

Dear Mr. Torngren,

In April of this year, I sent you a letter outlining numerous concerns regarding the possible re-opening of the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino (CGRC), located on the tribal lands of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians (PRCI).  The concerns I expressed in my correspondence to you on behalf of the onsite, duly elected PRCI Tribal Council, which I represent, involved safety issues and integrity of gaming issues which may arise from prematurely re-opening the Tribe’s casino.  To date, I have received no response from your office regarding my correspondence to you.

The weekend before last, the rogue group calling itself the 2010 Tribal Council, led by Reggie Lewis, held a job fair in the CGRC’s conference room to ostensibly pre-screen applicants and gather resumes from potential casino employees.  This group has been stating publicly that they are weeks away from re-opening the casino.  We know that at least three non-tribal government actions must occur before the casino can legally re-open: the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) must agree to rescind its Temporary Closure Order (TCO) of the casino issued in October 2014, the California Department of Justice must support lifting the federal court injunction issued in Fresno, California, closing the casino pursuant to the State’s petition to the court requesting this action for a violation of the Gaming Compact between the Tribe and the State, and finally, the federal court must lift the injunction it issued in October 2014 shuttering the casino for, among other things, posing a safety risk to the public.

Cosby Show Actor: TRIBAL DISENROLLMENT IS ABOUT GREED AND POWER!

In the last 20 years or so, close to one billion dollars has been stolen from Native Americans! 

Actor and Activist Joseph C. Phillips discusses Tribal Disenrollment on his website

So what’s new?  “Whitey” has been stealing from “Indians” since they arrived on these shores.  Well, what’s new is that this time the thieving is being done by other Native Americans and the theft is achieved through a device known as tribal disenrollment.  

Disenrollment

is the term used when some members of the tribe decide that other members of the tribe are no longer members of the tribe.  Sometimes disenrollment occurs when members can’t provide proof of their lineage, or membership in the tribe prior to some specified date.  However, disenrollment also occurs when one faction of a tribe takes power and rewrites rules, thus excluding opposition factions.  Previous tribal chairmen or board members have been disenrolled simply for being on the wrong side of a political issue or daring to buck the system.

READ MORE at the link above and SHARE with your family and friends and ask that they do the same

Pala Chairman Robert Smith's Plot to Remove the Brittens Exposed: BIA CALLED OUT

Pala's Brittain family has prepared a treatise on the Margarita Britten Disenrollment Matter designed to enlighten both the interested public AND Pala members and disenrolled.  My blog is the vehicle for this and the Pala disenrolled have the supporting documents, as does the BIA. 

MOST PEOPLE OF PALA DO NOT EVEN UNDERSTAND THE BRITTAIN/BRITTEN/BRITTIAN CASE 

(Even some of the Britten Family)

This is very true. If you ask the average tribal member what the Britten case was about they really do not know the answer. For Robert Smith it is the end of a more than 40 year battle to rid the Pala Reservation of the Britten family. For the Brittens, it is just the beginning of a new battle, one which they have always won and will win.

The first challenge came when Juliana Calac challenged the blood degree of Margarita Britten, Allottee #25, in 1961, as was her right to do. Mrs. Calac was the chairperson of the first BIA sanctioned enrollment committee of Pala. (Julia Calac, herself was an Ortega and the Ortegas were adopted into the Saubel/Ortega family in the 1880’s.) OP: WHY is it always adopted members who want to harm real tribal members? She was not a Cupeño Indian. She also challenged the blood degree of Catherine Valenzuela, Allottee #149. She challenged the right of Alvino Salazar to be enrolled at Pala.

On February 27, 1962, 063-Pala Reports and Recommendations, the BIA informed Juliana Calac that Margarita Britten was indeed a Full Blood Indian. The BIA determined that Catherine Valenzuela was only ¼ Indian and not ½ Indian as she had claimed. It was also determined that there were no records demonstrating that Alvino Salazar was a descendent of any Pala Allottees.

The Pala Band Enrollment Ordinance granted anyone and everyone a full 18 months to challenge this decision. It was not  The decision was final. The time to appeal this decision had run and the statute of limitations had run as well.

As far as the Britten family can tell, the next challenge came from Patricia Nelson, perhaps as retaliation for the BIA ruling against her family. The BIA has refused to produce the supposed petition submitted by a group of Band members to the BIA challenging Margarita Britten’s blood degree in 1983. The only real hint to the existence of this petition comes from letter exchanges between the BIA and Patricia Nelson in 1989. It was not a petition of PBMI. (Pala Band of Mission Indians)  PBMI accepted the determination of the BIA in 1989 and did not appeal that decision that Margarita Britten was Full Blood.

That should have been the end of it. But it wasn’t. Robert Smith was convinced that Margarita Britten was not full blood and began a relentless battle to achieve power that would allow him to disenroll the Brittens. This is not a product of 2011. It is the result of a long drawn out conspiracy on the part of Francis Muncy and Amy Dutschke to help Robert Smith achieve his goal.

Robert Smith began inquiring as to what he needed to do to get the BIA out of approving the PBMI Rolls. Francis Muncy and Amy Dutschke both advised Robert Smith to take action to have the BIA removed as having final determination over who is and who is not a member of PBMI. Records of this correspondence are on file with the BIA. 

Chukchansi Elections 2015: "Impartial" Screening Service IDRS...Not so Much?

Our friend  and Chukchansi Warrior Woman Cathy Cory posted a letter she sent to IDRS questioning their fair and impartial handling of the upcoming elections at the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians.   

I have sent the following inquiry to the company "Indian Dispute Resolution Services", which has (as some of you may not know) been hired by the current "bia approved prci tribal council" to both screen/approve tribal council candidates for election and oversee verification of registered voters/election results for the october 3rd, 2015 election at picayune:

"Interesting, that your company, Indian Dispute Resolution Services, is now hired to be used to screen candidates for tribal council at Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, and oversee a "clean slate" election, verification of voters, etc. there...How can that be seen as in any way "impartial"? Joyce Burel, on staff at your company since 1996 (by your own admission) is both a current candidate for office at Picayune and a direct lineal relation to those of the "Lewis Faction" at Picayune. Sounds ANYTHING but "impartial" to me...Can anyone say "conflict of interest"?

I would suggest the general council of picayune, the PEOPLE, seriously object to these circumstances, and DEMAND a fair and impartial entity be employed to oversee what is supposed to be a "clean slate" election at picayune--NOT "more of the same corruption, business as usual" type of antics which the current tribal council at PRCI appears to be determined to continue today, despite their claims to the contrary....

We posted BEFORE on the appearance of impropriety, or at least the lack of impartiality here: Chukchansi Leadership Dispute PART TWO: Joyce Burel IDRS Mediator, Relation to Reggie Lewis, Sides with...REGGIE LEWIS

GEEZ.....do you smell the stink yet??

Pechanga Corruption: Cosentino Attorney RESPONDS to Pechanga Gaming Commission's Attorney Frank Lawrence

WOW, and you thought Ronda Rousey was tough.   Here's Attorney Andrew Twietmeyer's response to defendants attorney Frank Lawrence's request for depublishing the decision that the appeal's court thoughtfully rendered.


Cosentino vs. Fuller should not be stricken from our state's case law based on the summary, slap-dash, ill-informed and (now) deliberately misleading arguments that have surfaced in the numerous depublication requests filed in this Court.  Defendants' disgraceful Request is the most potent illustration of why Cosentino vs. Fuller was correctly decided, for, if Defendants arguments had any merit Defendants would not need to fabricate law and evidence to support their position. Cosentino vs. Fuller should remain published. 

Geez, tell us what you REALLY think, Mr. Twietmeyer...   READ his opposition response:


Oppostion response on Turtle Talk

CUPA Newsletter: Why Pala Band Of Mission Indians SHOULD NOT BE Federally Recognized

The Juaneno and Gabrieleno tribes, both NOT FEDERALLY recongnized should be raising a RUCKUS over how this group was able to obtain federal recognition.     Take a look at the newsletter King Freeman of Pala, who has been denied his participation rights in meetings, as well as having his voting rights stripped, has sent out: 

Cupangawichum 

(People Who Sleep in the Water)

In the first Cupa Newsletter it was said that it is the Old Pala Indians who are the Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation.  This is the tribe that is listed in the Federal Register.

All of the lands of Old Pala were allotted to the Luiseno Indians and therefore the Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians are a landless tribe.

The Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians are not organized and do not have any governing documents. Below are entries of Federally recognized tribes in the Federal Register over the past 3 years.

Federal Register /Vol. 78, No. 87 /Monday, May 6, 2013 /Notices
Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony, Nevada
Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation, California
Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona

Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 19 / Wednesday, January 29, 2014 / Notices
Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation, California

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 9 / Wednesday, January 14, 2015 / Notices
Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of the Fallon Reservation and Colony, Nevada

Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation, California

Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona

If PBMI was Federally recognized it would appear between Pala Band of Luiseno and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.

The Pala Band of Mission Indians is not listed in the Federal Register therefore it is not a federally recognized Tribe even though the PBMI Constitution fraudulently states it is a federally recognized tribe.  No wonder Robert is so anxious to become the chairman of the Pala Luiseno.

So why is the BIA calling Robert Smith the chairman of the Luiseno Tribe. Realize that Robert Smith and the BIA just gave the Luiseno people 345 acres of land that was purchased with your money.

This is from the first page in a letter to Robert Smith dated March 3, 2014 from the BIA Director, Pacific Regional Office, Amy Dutschke stating that she has approved taking the land in trust for the Pala Luiseno.

Honorable Robert Smith
Chairman, Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians
35008 Pala Temecula Road
PMB- 50
Pala, CA 92059

Dear Chairman Smith:

This is our Notice of Decision for the application of the Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians to have the below described property accepted by the United States of America in trust for the Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians of the Pala Reservation. ·

The land referred to herein is situated in the State of California, County of San Diego, and is described as follows: ***

Old Pala was established by Executive Order in 1875 at the same time the Agua Caliente Reservation was established in Warner Springs. They were both established in 1875 at two different locations. This means that the Pala Luiseno and the Agua Caliente Cupeño were recognized as separate federally recognized tribes.

The lands purchased for the Warner Ranch Evictees at Pala were purchased for the Agua Caliente Tribe, San Felipe Village, Puerta La Cruz Village and landless Indians not having rights to other lands.

It is these groups that form the Association known as the Pala Band of Mission Indians. The Pala Band of Mission Indians is not a Tribe but an organized group that agreed to govern their lands in an equitable manner.  When Robert Smith pushed his Constitution the BIA approved it stating that the Pala Band of Mission Indians is a Tribe. This was done illegally.

Then, the BIA transferred all the powers of PBMI to Robert Smith. Membership in PBMI was never a tribal membership but a Band membership established to protect your individual rights of the assets of the Pala Reservation.

It is time to fix it and take our rights to these lands back. 

CUPA NEWSLETTER NO. 2